


Love Unexpectedly

by Rhyael



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-22
Updated: 2012-12-22
Packaged: 2017-11-22 01:49:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhyael/pseuds/Rhyael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aurora and Mulan grow closer as they travel with Snow White and Emma Swan in their quest to return home. Their journey of vengeance changes to one of discovery and a way home they never expected to find.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Unexpectedly

**  
Prologue**

Twenty years ago

 

_“My dear, please will you sit down?” The King sighed at his younger wife as she paced a few feet in front of the throne._

_“I will not sit, husband,” the glare she gave the older man would have caused weaker men to shrink back, but he only offered a reassuring smile and gave the smaller throne next to his own a pat._

_“The healers will be here in a moment, and wearing a line in the floor will not help anyone. Though, it might make the next council meeting interesting, when the abbot paces during his speeches. He will have to either do a little hop jig to avoid the trench, or simply fall in. Have you noticed that his speeches have gotten longer?” His eyes twinkled as he tried humor to sooth his young wife._

_The woman’s face broke into a smile and she sighed at the man she loved. Their affair had caused quite the scandal over the past five years. She had been a young hedge-witch assigned to the court’s gardener when they first met. The King had been a life long bachelor during the wars that ravaged his Kingdom; he had taken the throne when he was only 14 after his father’s sudden death. He was not oblivious to the court’s plea that he take a wife and start trying to produce an heir. He just took his time about it; before long his once black hair was grey at the temples and his advisor had lost nearly all of his hair as well. They would joke that it wasn’t age that made it fall out, but it was pulled out over the years of serving the King._

_When the King met his wife he was in his forties and the war had been over for two years. He was restless after a life of battle and would often find difficulty sleeping and so he would wander his castle at night and find himself in the gardens. His future Queen was in her early twenties and a talented nature worker, she would tend the gardens late into the night after her official duties were over. She would sing under her breath as she worked her magiks and the old King would find that on the nights that he visited the gardens he slept better and without nightmares._

_They did not speak for the first year, he would sometimes bring out papers, or a book and settle on a bench or under the large banyan tree that served as the heart of the main gardens. If she took notice of the King she did not show it. Their first words happened by accident, the King was passing as she knelt by a short hedge row at the gates to the west maze gardens; the older King dropped one of his folded reports without noticing._

_The young hedge-witch picked up the letter and took a few hasty steps after the King calling out for him to stop. When he turned around it was like a jolt of falling or moving across a floor and touching a metal surface and getting a shock. They both stared at each other, a blush creeping across her cheeks a mirroring flush rising up his neck to his ears. He shut his jaw with an audible snap and he took the envelope without thanks._

_The hedge-witch was as lost in his eyes as he was in hers and it wasn’t until a guard cleared his throat that they broke eye contact. “You may go,” the tall King muttered, knowing he was being rude even if it was within his right to dismiss a servant._

_Catching the tone she frowned and her eyes narrowed and she was stopped from saying something by one of her assistants grabbing her elbow and pulled her off the path and back to work._

_They would laugh later when they finally built up enough courage to speak to each other like human beings. Laugh at how he had spent the rest of the night berating himself by using different inflections, angry, arrogant, his eyes rolling. She in turn had spent the rest of her evening confiding in her plants, telling them how he wasn’t a kind King like his reputation with the other servants would suggest._

_It took an accident for them both to come out of their shells and speak to each other again. She had spilled a basket of flowers meant for the hall in the morning and he had come only inches from stepping on them and her hand. They both had apologized profusely and scrambled to pick up the flowers and basket before their hands touched and another jolt moved between them. They looked up and the stunned silence quickly broke into easy laughs._

_The two carried on a friendship for the next year, meeting in the gardens as she would work and he would catch up on his paperwork. One night he brought them a late dinner, as he had not eaten yet, and thereafter it become a nightly affair that they would sit and eat. They were both aware of what they were. She was a witch, not hated in the lands but not respected either not like the more powerful fairies, and he was the King, a much older King._

_Still, love doesn’t care about age or station; the two fell deeply in love. When he announced his marriage to the hedge-witch the court roared its disapproval. The King protected his love by taking her hand and casting an imperious look over the crowd of advisors, council members and rich merchants._

_He only allowed the chaos to continue for a minute before he took up his scepter and slammed the heavy iron shod end down onto the marble table next to his throne. It sound resonated around the chamber and a collective gasp filled the air as the room turned as one to face the King. Not in his nearly twenty years of rule had he used the symbol of power as it was intended._

_“This is not up for debate, the wedding will be in one week’s time,” which sent a different sort of murmur cascading through the room as attendants nearly fainted with the thought of throwing together such a ceremony in such an impossible amount of time._

_The young hedge-witch next to him only giggled as the old provost actually did faint and her King leaned close to whisper a kiss across her cheek._

_In the three years that passed since that event, the couple had ruled the land in peace time, earning more allies than enemies. The conservatives at court could not deny the kind spirit of their new Queen or the joy at which the two shared their life. The land prospered under them, the harvests plentiful, trade opened and borders secure._

_Now that time had passed they were under new pressure to start a family. They had tried, but it soon became clear that something was wrong. It shouldn’t take as long as it had. More than anything the queen had wanted children, though when she was young she thought she would find herself a nice peasant boy, they would grow old and have a big farm house with lots of mouths to feed._

_The healers had arrived with sad news. They informed a heart broken couple that it wasn’t the queen’s body that was at fault. It was the King’s. The royal couple only half listened as they were told that what they thought had been a simple childhood illness had injured the King. He gripped his wife’s shoulders tighter as she sobbed into his shoulder; two of the healer’s had tears in their eyes. They knew the entire Kingdom would mourn the King and Queen’s loss._

_“My King, if I may speak,” their newest advisor stepped forward. The man had come into the Kingdom just before the end of the war. A powerful wizard, though an odd man with thick skin, oily hair and a disturbing smile. He had unsettled the queen at first but as they spoke with each other in passing they developed a grudging working relationship._

_“We could find a proxy… I could even cast glamour, so you would see only your King as you…” the court advisor didn’t bother looking embarrassed._

_“That is repugnant,” the young Queen hid her sour expression into her husband’s shoulder, just the thought of doing something like that made her shudder._

_The King took a moment before his temper caused him to say something he would regret. “No, no, we will not go that route. There are many children in the land without parents. Perhaps we could give one of them a home. We are already unconventional, yet they accepted you. I am sure they would accept a child of our hearts, if not our…”_

_The queen sighed and covered her face in her hands, trying to control a sob. The King looked up and silently dismissed their advisors, but the wizard remained behind._

_“If I may, your majesties, offer another suggestion?” the scaly skinned advisor stepped closer and the couple looked up. “Maleficent might be convinced to aid you.”_

_“Maleficent,” the King frowned even deeper and he let go of his wife’s hands and stood up, “she and her other fairies have not rescinded their claim to the northern valley and the glacier lakes.”_

_“You are correct, but perhaps you could use that to your advantage, to… request an audience and a wish.” The advisor then scuttled to the right, to the table that held a cheese and bread tray a servant had left behind. He wiggled his fingertips together close his mouth as his too shiny eyes scanned the selection._

_It was the queen that spoke next. “But everyone knows that you cannot ask a fairy for a wish. It must be given freely without influence.”_

_“True…” the advisor’s shoulder dipped dramatically to the left as his hand reached out to snatch a fresh morsel and bring it to his mouth, “buuuut,” he sniffed it and dropped it on the ground as if it burned him, his nose drawing up and he turned to the couple dusting off his fingers._

_“Maleficent is much more… progressive. If you would allow me, I would speak with her on your behalf.” A shrug from the advisor and he smiled what might have been a kind smile if he wasn’t so creepy._

_“My love,” the young queen placed her palm over her husband’s heart, “it would be an answer, if it doesn’t work we could seek out children in need of a home within the city. What would it hurt to try?”_

_The advisor giggled and clapped his hands together, “Excellent.”_

_“Wait,” the King looked hard at the advisor, “This is no simple act. You must also be seeking something in return.”_

_“You are a smart one! That is exactly why I like you!” the advisor pointed dirty fingernails in the King’s direction. The man stood taller and waited, “the castle on your western border, and the barony attached with it. I want it.”_

_“I did not take you for a man seeking a title,” the King’s brows shot up and he appeared to relax. People seeking power he was used to dealing with, and it was not an unreasonable request._

_“It is yours, for speaking with Maleficent on our behalf, no matter what comes of it,” the gracious King smiled down at his wife who smiled back up, once again hope shined in her eyes._

_“Deal,” a high voice rejoiced before the couple was left to an empty throne room._

 

_\------------------------------------_

Present Day

 

Princess Aurora sat with her back against the base of the beanstalk watching her two remaining companions. Mulan paced the perimeter she had established with her cloak wrapped around her body hiding what the princess knew would be a hand on the hilt of her sword. In contrast Snow White standing still a few yards from the tree line with bow in hand, arrow at the ready.

As Aurora mused over the stark differences in the two fighters she worried a piece of jewelry in her hands. She didn’t wear the necklace Philip had given it to her just before he broke away from Mulan’s camp to face the wraith instead keeping it safe in a pouch. Two rings on a gold chain, one a heavy signet ring that had been her father’s, the other a lighter one that had been her mother’s.

She didn’t have to look down at them to know what they looked like, her fingers drawing up images and memories as if she read the intricate features and engravings like braille. Phillip had passed them over to her with a whispered apology.

There had been little time for tears then and even less time now, though Aurora knew she would have to mourn them properly.

“It will be okay, princess,” Mulan spoke softly interrupting her thoughts and causing Aurora’s shoulders to square proudly and the necklace to get stuffed back safely into its pouch. “They will make it back safely,” the warrior added having misinterpreted the princess’ worried look.

Aurora gave the warrior a confused look but then smiled “of course.” And she watched Mulan spare a glance at the shadow being cast on the ground, as if she stared at it too long it might make the sun move faster.

Mulan, Aurora found herself thinking more and more of the warrior as they continued to travel together. There was so much she didn’t know about the woman and yet they had been through so much. It wasn’t that she feared to ask Mulan about her past she just understood that if the warrior was ever going to share anything of her past it would be on her terms.

So Mulan went back to her pacing, Snow hadn’t moved and Aurora distracted herself by staring at the shadow of the stick.

 

**Chapter One**

 

It had been a few days since the women had left Killian, the beanstalk, and Emma’s confrontation with the giant. They soon discovered that there were more survivors than they had been aware of. The outskirts of the Kingdoms that held the bandits, thieves, raiders and traitors survived. They were slowly creeping back into the land after waking up. But not all were enemies; some were kind, some were families just eking out a humble existence on what land they could find.

Snow had been recognized a few times, and though most of the reactions had been positive it was decided that they would all need to begin to wear disguises. Cloaks were either found or made, worn to cover armor and strange clothing from an unknown land alike.

The weather was drawing colder and the compass had offered them no more answers, only more questions. Two weeks after the beanstalk, the first group of organized raiders attacked them. Men and women in tattered armor calling out their joy at finding the group and the reward that Cora would offer.

The four women had handled the situation well, falling into an easy coordination. That was when Aurora first noticed that Mulan’s eyes would find her first, checking her position was safe before moving to face their attackers herself. And so by default Aurora would become a spectator to the fighting. It wasn’t that Aurora disliked the act of fighting; it was the fact that she was never expected to do anything but stay out of the way. Provide a flask of water when the fighting was over, offer her praise and if it was a favorable fight, and offer her handkerchief to the victor. It was how she was raised.

There had been many times that she had wanted to give Mulan her handkerchief, but she didn’t have one to give. It would cause her to giggle randomly when she thought about what the warrior might do with it. She would imagine handing it over and Mulan just staring at her, a mumbled thanks before she cleaned the blade of her sword with it, or used it to wipe away the sweat on her brow.

The more Aurora watched Mulan fight, the more she began to notice details of how she moved, why she wore her hair that way. Not that it was unattractive, but she often wondered what it would look like loose. How long would it be? Even though she was a warrior she kept herself clean, and her armor was given as much attention as her weapons.

Once, when Aurora had asked why she took so much time after battles to care for her equipment even when they were all so tired, she was given a classic indulgent smirk that belonged only to Mulan She explained that even a simple tear in her armor could leave her exposed. That one second struggling to draw her blade from the scabbard could cost her an injury or even worse end her life.

After that, Aurora would also watch the enemies they would run into, how the haggard raiders and thieves moved compared to her companions. Once, she noticed an attacker struggling briefly with his blade when his crossbow bolt had been expended and thankfully dodged by a cursing Emma, only to be cut down by Snow White’s sword before he could draw the dagger meant for the princess.

Aurora had dodged the falling body with startled sound, but she quickly recovered and moved to stand in a better position. She had kicked the knife out of the man’s fallen hand even though she doubted he would be getting up again, let alone reaching for it. Aurora looked at in the dust and saw that there was a faint patch of rust near the iron pommel. One second, she thought to herself. It had cost less than one second. After that, she never thought Mulan foolish for how she spent her time cleaning her gear, and she also no longer thought it vain.

A few nights later she asked if there was anything she could help clean, weapons, armor. The queen, Snow White, had collected and patched together a set of leather pieces for both herself and her daughter. Even though the jacket Emma wore was made of leather, Aurora was told that it provided little protection. When asked why she wore it then, she was answered with giggles from Snow White and an eye roll from Emma. But Snow was the one to show her how to review her quiver of arrows, sharpen any dull edges, and mark when fletching needing replacing, which lead to how to gather feathers for replacement.

That next night, when they were setting up camp as she made the tight circle to gather kindling and any food she could discover, she also picked up three flight feathers from what she thought had been a quail, or maybe a goose. And that night she shyly placed the trio of feathers next to the queen’s bow when she sat down to inspect the quiver of arrows. A nod of approval caused a blush to rise from the young princess and as they worked on her gear and over the next week she learned what was needed to clean blades, why the bows must be unstrung after each use and how to fold the strings and tuck them into packets.

After a month of traveling she began to feel more useful, she still stayed back in a fight but developed a talent for quickly scavenging what supplies they needed from the bodies of their attackers. At first she felt like a thief, the thought of it made her sick, then the thought of it rotting, or being used by someone else to harm her friends steeled her resolve.

The once beautiful mauve dress was stained brown at the bottom, maybe one of the court stylists would have dreamed of such a color change happening naturally. The embroidered fabric was thick enough to protect against the weather and surprisingly sturdy. Repairs were easily done though the first time she had to add a visible patch of mismatched fabric she sniffled. Mulan only sighed and gave her shoulder a reassuring pat as if she understood but Aurora quickly brushed away the tears and didn’t explain the real reason for them.

The other three women thought that the princess was a picky eater, for she wouldn’t eat the game they hunted, or any dried meats they scavenged. She would go out of her way to find berries, roots, grasses, grains, and as they moved she would pause along the road and fill up the shawl that she would tie around her waist to gather things. She suspected that Snow understood what she was doing, the queen knew some of her history from her friendship with her mother, but she didn’t explain to Mulan.

Mulan who was quick to judge the princess as snobbish, innocent, unknowing at how to survive outside of castle walls as she had only the information given to her by Prince Philip. He had held the young princess on a pedestal. It wasn’t that the princess didn’t know how to interact with the little people, no it was the fact that she knew very little about human interaction.

Mulan found herself watching the princess even when her duty did not demand it. She was a flighty thing; she would jump at non existent sounds, look into the distance and cant her head as if she would see what ever monster belonged to the imaginary sound. At first the warrior thought that the princess was really hearing something she couldn’t see. But after so many times of lowering her hand to the hilt of her sword, the pad of her thumb pushing the pommel up half an inch only to have the empty path greet them, she would still notice the movements, but not give them much thought.

Aurora wasn’t a coward, Mulan had concluded, she was just a funny thing.

One such day, not long after the four began to travel together, before they discovered the death of Lancelot. The princess had been walking next to them, collecting berries, grains and roots that she cooked for herself (and shared with the others). Mulan followed Aurora’s gaze to a fat old rabbit that had paused along side the path. Mulan wondered briefly how the princess had seen the creature before she drew back on her bow and loosed and arrow.

The rabbit only screamed for its last heart beat but Aurora collapsed on the ground her fist covering her heart as she sobbed trying to catch her breath.

“What is wrong with you?!” Mulan had hissed and crouched down next to the princess in an attempt to quiet the woman as she looked around for anyone that might have been drawn to the sound. She spoke in hushed tones “I know you don’t eat with us but we still have to eat, we can’t survive on what you gather.”

Aurora was silent, her face flushed and tears fell from her cheeks. The princess nodded and accepted a help up from Emma as Snow had gone to gather the rabbit. Mulan thought how foolish the spoiled princess was, and how foolish Philip had been to risk so much for her. Seeing as she was more than likely happier safe asleep on her marble pedestal.

“I’m sorry,” Aurora had whispered and stood up with the help of Mulan. The warrior had only glowered and then moved away to help Snow with the kill, Emma moved up behind Aurora and gave her shoulder an awkward squeeze.

“It’ll be okay,” the sheriff tried to reassure the shaking princess. Aurora squared her shoulders and offered a watery smile before she moved ahead.

Emma stood there a moment while her thoughts wandered to what she would have been like if she had been raised a princess. Would she be like Aurora, who seemed to be the classic idea of a damsel in distress, but that thought was brushed away as she watched her mother pick up the large rabbit by the hind legs after pulling the arrow free and cleaning it on the grass.

“Nope… not your typical princess,” snorted Emma and she took off in a trot to catch up with the other three.

\-----------------------------------------------

That night Aurora had been very quiet, staying near the edge of the camp, just close enough to feel the warmth of the fire but not smell the meat as it cooked. They were camping with their backs against a cliff; to their right was a heavily moving stream. It had rained all that afternoon and the group of women were completely miserable, and, in Emma’s case, cranky.

“Seriously, who can be this happy?” Emma was glaring at her mother who had been humming absently while warming herself and huddling under her oiled cloak.

“Emma,” Snow warned her daughter but she didn’t lose the smile, it only turned into an indulgent grin.

“No, really, even in the worst of this you always seem to be happy, I don’t understand it.” Emma huffed and gripped the cloth at her neck to draw the hood tighter around her hair.

“Love,” Snow said simply as if it explained it all.

“Love, that’s it?” Emma scoffed bitterly and reached out with the toe of her shoe to push back a log that threatened to escape their ring of fire, even though there was little danger of a fire breaking out with the rain threatening to put it out.

“Yes, love,” Snow sighed a little sadly at how jaded her daughter had grown up. “Of course I’m not happy with what we’ve been forced to endure, but we’re together, and we will return to our family. We’re able to speak with Henry, I am sure if anyone can figure out how to use the compass it is Regina. And I am with my daughter, so yes, I am as happy as I can be,” she lifted her chin with a quirky smile and her slender brows arched. The pixie cut had grown out over the weeks and ebon bangs wilted against her brow, but she still looked like the ever optimistic school teacher Emma knew.

Mulan and Aurora watched the pair grow quiet, secretly they both enjoyed the mother daughter interaction no matter how complicated it was. They only knew the surface of what had gone on, but they understood that the curse had affected other greater than some.

There was a brief moment of peace and comfortable silence that they enjoyed until that serenity was broken.

Aurora squeaked as a hand lurched down out of the shadows and grabbed her by the hair, tearing some out by the roots with the force that lifted her off the log and threatened to drag her out of reach before the others could reach her.

“Princess!” Mulan shouted and leapt into action, drawing her sword as Emma and Snow joined the fight. From the shadows seven more figures appeared in the light of the fire to attack the women, food scattered, tents deflated and Aurora felt her word grow dark as the arm pressing against her neck began to cut off her air supply. She couldn’t even warn the others that she was being taken into the darkness.

An inhuman growl ripped through the night air and Aurora’s attacker was wrenched away from her neck leaving behind a bruised and grasping princess who crawled back towards the light, leaving a shoe behind in her desperation.

The warrior slid to a stop and her sword arched down just in time to block the spear aimed at Aurora’s throat. With a hiss the battle resumed and the warrior took on two as Aurora got back to her feet and scrambled back to the fire. She heard Emma shout from a few feet away and her mother had buried an arrow in the throat of the woman that had been poised to slash the princess Emma in two with a wicked looking blade.

“Get the compass!” the leader yelled, he was a bear of a man with a stone hammer and he kicked over the fire pit as if it did not exist and reached out for the nearest woman. Mulan’s shoulder twisted under his grip and she slammed her sword into his arm. But he did not drop the weapon, he only laughed and picked her up.

Aurora yelped in alarm and rushed forward to try to help Mulan, but that only erased the distance between the leader and the princess Mulan had earned. “No, stay b…” but it was too late and the man lifted in one hand the stone hammer that would take a normal sized man two hands to lift. Mulan went lax and twisted out of the man’s grip leaving behind her shoulder armor and cloak.

By the time the warrior placed herself between the hammer and Aurora, the swing was already committed and it slammed down hard on her collarbone shattering bone and flesh sending the warrior flying back into the cliff face where she slammed with such force that loose rock was knocked away landing on top of the crumpled woman.

“Noooooooo!” Aurora screamed falling to her side to avoid the body of the leader. He was dead before he hit the ground, Mulan’s knife buried in his ribs, and one of Snow’s arrows through his chest. It was unclear which had found its mark first, but either one would have killed him instantly.

Seeing their leader fall the remaining raiders retreated leaving behind ten dead or dying bodies. Emma ran to help Aurora to her feet, and breathlessly asked where Mulan was. The young princess only pointed a shaking finger towards the dark cliff face. They both rushed over as quickly as possible; Aurora whimpered as only a foot away they could see the warrior was badly injured.

Bone poked through her upper arm and split flesh and armor as if it was made of paper. Aurora pushed what she thought was Mulan’s hair out of her eyes only to find that it was blood from a deep wound.

“Mom!” Emma yelled over her shoulder and with Aurora’s help carefully moved Mulan away from the cliff, hissing as they found other injuries that would be serious enough on their own. The warrior’s breathing was shallow and labored, her eyes fluttered open and she struggled weakly calling out Aurora’s name.

“I’m here!” Tears fell from Aurora’s eyes as she cupped Mulan’s cheek, and Snow rejoined them once she was sure they would not be attacked. There was little time to think about the one body outside the fire that had died of wounds other than those caused by sword and arrow.

“Oh no… Mulan,” Snow White whispered as she took stock of the warrior’s injuries. Aurora knelt in the mud and blood holding the warrior’s head in her lap as the two other women sprang into action around her. The only thing the young princess could see were the warrior’s eyes staring back at her. She thought that if she held her gaze that nothing would happen.

“Princess…” Mulan gasped in pain, the simple act of speaking caused her to grow even paler, the fingers on her uninjured arm clutched at the air drawing Aurora’s attention away from her eyes. The princess freed a hand and grasped the warrior’s trembling fingers holding on tightly as she looked back to her eyes which were now falling shut.

“Mulan... Mulan… open your eyes… look at me,” she ordered, the warrior responded and opened her eyes. Someone, Emma or maybe her mother was binding her head trying to stop the flow of blood. “There you are. Good, now keep looking at me,” tears spilled freely from her eyes, leaving clean trails through the earth and grime on the warrior’s cheek.

“Jealous…” the warrior smiled weakly.

“Of what?” the princess snorted unladylike and mindlessly took over putting pressure against the rag covering Mulan’s head wound.

“You… can still look so beautiful… while crying,” the warrior chuckled wetly and her eyes rolled back in her head as she passed out.

“Mulan!” Princess Aurora’s startled cry drew Snow’s attention up and she reached out to feel the pulse.

“Weak, but she’s alive. We need to get her over to the fire and take a closer look,” the brunette kept her voice calm, despite how dire the situation was.

Aurora helped as she could, and half an hour later she was bringing back water as Emma and Snow spoke over the now bandaged body of Mulan.

“We can’t stay here, we need real shelter, if she survives this she is going to need a place to heal,” Snow was trying to keep her voice low and Emma was about to respond, but Aurora interrupted them.

“What do you mean, if,” the younger princess lifted her chin, “she will survive this. She is the strongest warrior that I know. No… no barbarian is going to bring her down. We will help her and she will be back on her feet,” though her tone was giving an absolute order her voice trembled.

“Of course, your majesty,” Snow stood up and crossed the distance; Emma joined them a moment later.

“We just need to find a suitable place for her to recover. We can’t keep going as we have while she is so injured. I know of a place,” Snow’s eyes narrowed in thought. “If I judge correctly, we could reach there with Mulan in half a day, but Emma and I should go ahead to make sure it is… um, clear… before we move Mulan.”

Emma shot a look across her shoulder at her mother, but if she was going to ask what exactly her mother meant by ‘clear,’ the question was shot down when Snow gave a faint shake of her head.

She needn’t have bothered, though, as Aurora’s eyes were already focused back on Mulan, who was struggling to breath in her sleep. She was grateful that the warrior slept, her brows furrowed at the thought of how much pain she was in.

“We need you to stay here with her while we scout for a safe location. Keep the fire low,” Snow left a sword by Aurora’s side, but the princess ignored it and continued to clean the warrior’s shoulder.

Some time later, Emma broke the uneasy silence as they picked their way carefully through the dark, “should we have left them alone?”

“No, but it would have been a greater risk to leave you behind,” Snow walked with an arrow level against the body of her bow, ready to be shot at a moments notice.

“You know I can take care of myself,” Emma grumped at the woman that was her mother.

“What?” Snow paused and looked at Emma in brief confusion, “no… not for the reason you are thinking. If the place we are going to is still occupied, I need you with me. And if it is not, I need you to stay and get the area ready for Mulan when I bring them back.”

“Oh,” the sheriff conceded, sounding less grumpy and a little sheepish at being so defensive.

“Do you think she will survive?” Emma asked sounding more like a scared child than she would have liked.

“I hope so. If we can get her to a safe place she will have a fighting chance. This is going to take time, and time is a luxury we don’t have. Frankly though, we have been lucky to have not had one of us hurt badly before this, with no healers and the fact that we have to keep running,” Snow sighed and started to move again.

“So where are we going, where I this safe place?”

“Well, if it is empty, we’re going to the place where Red’s mother kept her pack safe.”

“Wait… Red? Do you mean Ruby? And… pack?”

Snow offered a quirky smile despite the seriousness of their task “We have a little while, let me tell you a story.”


End file.
